Lynches River Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper Dedicate Green Power Solar School at Chesterfield-Ruby Middle School
September 29, 2008
PAGELAND, SC – September 29, 2009 – Lynches River Electric Cooperative, Santee Cooper and the Chesterfield County School District dedicated a Green Power Solar School today at Chesterfield-Ruby Middle School.
Children, educators, and utility representatives gathered around the tall black solar array which will produce electricity from the rays of sunshine.
The Green Power Solar Schools initiative is designed to encourage interest in the environment and demonstrate the feasibility and limitations of renewable power generation. Each Green Power Solar School receives a 2-kilowatt solar power system, which will provide a teaching, research and hands-on demonstration opportunity for students. The project uses a new renewable energy curriculum designed especially for the program that meets state science standards. Each school program is supplemented by an Internet-based monitoring system that provides real-time access to information on the system’s performance as well as other solar schools in South Carolina.
“This is a special day for Lynches River Electric Cooperative, our local school district, and the young people and educators here at Chesterfield-Ruby Middle. We believe partnering with our schools, especially in the areas of energy and our environment, are critical to ensuring the quality of life for future generations. I know this solar installation and this important new energy curriculum will help our young people discover how solar energy might impact our energy needs in the future,” saidEdward Drozd, Lynches River Electric Cooperative President and CEO.
“The Green Power Solar Schools initiative is a cornerstone of Santee Cooper’s expansive conservation and renewable energy efforts and represents a powerful partnership with the state’s 20 electric cooperatives,” said R.M. Singletary, senior vice president of corporate services at Santee Cooper. “We recognize our country faces some tough energy challenges, and working together we can together find responsible and effective solutions. Our hope is this program might someday lead us closer to finding additional solutions to the energy challenges ahead.”
In September 2001, Santee Cooper became the first electric utility in South Carolina to generate and offer Green Power. Since then, the state’s 20 electric cooperatives and The City of Georgetown have joined the state-owned utility in marketing Green Power to their members and customers. Green Power Solar Schools represents another way Santee Cooper and the cooperatives promote renewable energy, and the program fulfills Santee Cooper’s commitment to reinvest Green Power funds back into renewable resources throughout the state.
“I commend Lynches River Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper for bringing this innovative program to our young people and community,” said Dr. John Williams, Superintendent, Chesterfield County School District. “Exposing our young people to the latest technology is a critical component of teaching and learning in our ever-changing world. This project combines the use of technology with a relevant and exciting science curriculum to engage students as they learn about energy, the environment and conservation.”
Five additional schools, served by Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, Aiken Electric Cooperative and Laurens Electric Cooperative, became Green Power Solar Schools in 2007. Santee Electric Cooperative, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Tri-County Electric Cooperative and York Electric Cooperative have also dedicated Green Power Solar Schools in their service areas this school year. Ultimately, Santee Cooper plans to locate at least one Green Power Solar School in each of the state’s 20 electric cooperative service territories.
Santee Cooper recently unveiled Santee Cooper Green, a utility-wide commitment bringing together all the eco-friendly, conservation-minded approaches that Santee Cooper practices and all the programs and opportunities for its customers to “go green.” More information can be found at www.SanteeCooperGreen.com.
Lynches River Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, nonprofit electric cooperative serving more than 20,000 accounts in Chesterfield, Kershaw, and Lancaster counties. As a Touchstone Energy Partner, Lynches River Electric Cooperative joins over 600 electric co-ops nationwide to share the Touchstone Energy core values of integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community. Visit www.lynchesriver.com for more information.
Santee Cooper is South Carolina’s state-owned electric and water utility and the state’s largest power producer, supplying electricity to more than 162,000 retail customers in Berkeley, Georgetown and Horry counties, as well as to 29 large industrial facilities, the cities of Bamberg and Georgetown, and the Charleston Air Force Base. Santee Cooper also generates the power distributed by the state’s 20 electric cooperatives to more than 685,000 customers in all 46 counties. Approximately 2 million South Carolinians receive their power directly or indirectly from Santee Cooper. The utility also provides water to 137,000 consumers in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and the town of Santee. Visit us online at www.SanteeCooper.com. For information on how Santee Cooper lives green and how you can go green, visit www.SanteeCooperGreen.com.
